One True Compass
by SportyScribe2
Summary: A Sequel to The Hunch
1. Nowhere Else to Go, Nowhere Else to Be

It had been a long five years since she'd flown away from Saint Marie. She'd faced danger, heartache, and more besides, and now enough was enough.

She had to come home because there was nowhere else to go, and nowhere else to be.

She shifted in her seat uncomfortably. She played out a thousand times what she would say to her mother. She didn't want her to be overwhelmed when they saw each other. Dammit she couldn't stop the tears thinking about Maman now. Seeing her after all this time, with everything that had happened.

She shook herself, rousing the gentleman sleeping in the chair beside her who grunted in annoyance before turning away from her. She rolled her eyes, contemplating purposefully making him move so she could go to the toilet, but the hassle it would cause, she just couldn't be bothered any more.

She wondered about the rest of the team. When she left Florence had been promoted out of uniform and had dealt with Humphrey's ways more than admirably. Where she had been initially frustrated with Humphrey's ways, Florence had patience. Where she had the willingness to learn from Richard when they worked together, Florence had assumed that role with Humphrey and the pair had flourished, in more ways than one, she had learned. She allowed herself a rueful smile, wondering if she'd stayed, would that have been her fate from the gods? To find comfort with someone else? She remembered her goodbye to Humphrey, but while she had found her way home, life would not drift into the path he had once envisaged for her.

A lot had happened since she accepted the case, and found herself reunited with someone she thought she had lost forever. To be reunited with a living and breathing Richard Poole had been a shock to say the least, and their transition to work undercover had not been easy.

But over time they had really made their mark, and teaming up once more had been the right decision to make. They had a knack of not having to say anything to know what the other was thinking. It had served them well and very early on they cracked a major smuggling racket, and travelled the world together as a tight unit.

But the risks had been great too and as the operation moved to the US, the small fish in Europe and the Caribbean gave way to the sharks in Miami who did not play fair at all. They played to kill. They were good at it. And now, she was heading out of the undercover game, this time for good. The risks, the thrill. Not worth the price.

She let her mind wonder to the one man she always depended on in times like these. Almost her father figure, she'd turned to Commissioner Selwyn Patterson in desperation, to re-establish her life once more. He'd obliged as he always did. He was getting close to retirement, and dear Humphrey had talked up the opportunities of eventually having a home grown DI in charge. She'd dearly love to be in a position to do that.

She heard a child in the plane wail about the cabin pressure, a parent soothe them and quiet them down again. She smiled as she smoothed her hand over her belly, and settled down to sleep.

* * *

Camille made her way to the beach front, and the bar she had missed so much. She was getting used to being called Camille again, and there were so many new faces around. She stood at the door, and could see the outline of her mother bustling in the kitchen.

Catherine glanced up and then stopped. Could it be? She stepped through the door of the little back room to see her beloved little girl standing there, her hands protectively covering a tell-tale bump.

With her hands to her mouth, she stepped out from around the bar, as Camille crossed quickly into her outstretched arms. They held on to each other, tears falling. "My Camille, you're home… and what's this?" said Catherine smiling through the tears but confused – Camille was here on her own? Why?

"Maman, I am home. Home for good… there's four months to go before this little one arrives, and I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be. But you'd better sit down, there's more."

"Sit down, me? What about you – what do you need, what can I get you?"

Camille laughed despite herself. "I know it sounds strange but I could do with a ginger tea. The flight made me feel ill."

Catherine brought out the tea, and took her daughter's hand, resting her other hand on the bump. She looked up at her. "The father?"

Camille looked away… where to start? She took her mother's hand as a customer walked into the bar. She looked up at the man, carrying a small boy chattering away excitedly. Catherine's eyes moved up, then she pushed her chair back in shock as Camille grabbed her hands.

"Maman it's ok, it's alright… there's such a lot to explain, I know but we're both back, we're home. For good."

Catherine could barely speak. She looked up into the face of the man she thought had been dead for years, holding another child? What voodoo was this?

"Richard?"

"Hello, Catherine," he started as the child in his arms wriggled impatiently. "Alright, alright… you want to meet your grandmère?" The little boy held out his arms to Catherine who willingly took him, looking questioningly for a name.

Camille smiled. "Lucas - Luc for short" she said. Catherine raised an eyebrow at Richard. "The French spelling," he sighed. "We had to compromise," she smiled.

"Have you got some pineapple juice or something" he asked, holding out a small plastic lidded cup. "I'll take him down to see the boats – he loves them." Catherine carried him behind the counter where the boy was captivated by the bright straws and drink adornments.

She looked up as she saw Richard rub Camille's shoulders protectively. She looked up at him, smiling as he bent to kiss her. Catherine had always wanted her daughter happy, but she somehow knew she was not going to like the story of how.

As she handed the child back to Richard, she noticed an aggressive looking scar along his forehead. Camille saw her looking and shoved his legs to send the boys off. Luc wriggled out of his father's arms insisting he could walk, and Richard was insisting that he hold daddy's hand.

"If I had not seen this I would have never believed it" said Catherine, talking Camille's hand. Camille briefly ran through how they had come to meet in Paris, and went back to the UK and around Europe to continue on the case before moving to the States.

"The scar, Camille?"

Camille looked away, her hands unconsciously moving to her stomach once more.

"A raid went wrong. Very wrong. We had not long found out I was pregnant when things came to a head in the case. I was out with the back up teams. A lot of shooting. I… I almost lost him again. This time for real."

Camille paused. ""Then the baby was born a month and a half early but there were complications – my turn to be at death's door with Richard going frantic and a newborn. And all the time we were on the run from the people trying to get us."

"It was too much – trying to live on witness protection with a baby, and then…" She stopped, looking away from her mother. "They found us and threatened to kidnap the baby… and worse; so they killed off Marie Carnet-Pond, her husband Captain Robert Pond and their baby son in a tragic boating accident, and after lying low for a couple of years they got us out here."

She tried to keep all the emotion out of her voice but Catherine could see the pain behind her eyes. There was much more to be told but now was not the time.

Richard was walking back along the quay and as they got to the bar Luc let go of his hand and ran to his mother, carefully clambering on her lap. Catherine watched as she cuddled and chatted to child in French. She laughed, "Richard lets you get away with that?"

He sat down. "Well some things are worth putting up with for an easy life," he said. With Luc getting fussy, Camille decided to take him upstairs so she could maybe get him to have a small nap, leaving Richard with Catherine.

"It looks as though things have been… interesting," said Catherine, her eyes straying to the scar. He shrugged, not really sure what to say or how much to tell her. They were interrupted before Catherine could quiz him any further by the familiar imposing hulk of the Commissioner, walking into the bar. Shaking Richard warmly by the hand, his eyes searched for Camille.

"She's upstairs – trying to get the little 'un sorted out, " replied Richard.

"Ah yes – I can't wait to meet him… so who does he take after?"

Richard chuckled "Well he has no shortage of things to say for himself, so I can safely say he gets that from his mother."

* * *

Florence looked out over the sea and realised how much she would miss Saint Marie. She knew that accepting the DI role in Guadeloupe was a great move for her. She knew it would strain their relationship – another distance relationship just felt like another failure to him, but she had to do this.

Her attention was taken by the site of a small boy staring at her before resolutely marching up to the chair next to her.

"Hello – can I sit here to watch the boats, please?" he asked. She smiled looking around for any sign of a parent before helping him scramble up. "Sure – so what's your name?"

"I am Luc, mama says Luca and daddy calls me Lucas Richard when he's cross because I won't sleep," the boy replied seriously. Florence burst out laughing, catching the sight of DI Humphrey Goodman strolling up to the bar.

"Hi – I wasn't expecting you so early?" he started. "I caught the earlier ferry – I wanted to see you," she smiled. "Ah, yes, but I see you already have an… umm… admirer" he said as the little boy was gazing at her.

"Ah yes, this is Luc, he is keeping me company while… well where is your mummy, petit?"

"Mummy told me to sit down quietly while she cooks me my lunch" he said, causing them both to chuckle, as he added to Florence, "You're very pretty, like my mummy."

Humphrey smiled despite himself – bad enough his girlfriend was accepting a promotion over the water, he was now competing for her attention with this smart kid!

"I bet you say that to all the girls," said Florence smiling at him, turning round when she heard, "Oh yes, he's quite the charmer – not sure he gets THAT from his father!"

"Camille," she cried rising up to give her a hug and noticing the bump. "Oh my god – you look amazing"

Camille looked across to Humphrey. "Florence is right, you're glowing," she said crossing to give her a hug. "It's good to see you. So – this is … um yours too" he said looking at Luc beaming happily at everyone and kicking his feet back and forth.

She bent and kissed the top of his head. "Yes – he's quite the character when he gets going. Talk to him about boats and he will love you forever," she smiled. She busied herself trying to get Luc, who was loving all the attention to sit down and eat. "I want fish fingers…." He started to whine.

"We don't have any – grandmère cooked this for you, so don't start…. Eat," she said more firmly. Luc pouted, causing Humphrey to chuckle. "Now he totally takes after you," he joked.

"Quite right too" said a voice behind him, as he turned to see… Richard Poole. Humphrey did a double take. Following close behind him was the Commissioner. Humphrey looked a little shell-shocked as Florence took his hand. Luc jumped up excitedly shouting "DADDY!".

"There's probably quite a lot we all need to discuss," started the Commissioner as Dwayne joined the group, shocked but delighted to see his old chief again.

* * *

The initial bedlam calmed down as hugs and handshakes were all around, with Richard stepping in to get the now very excitable boy to sit down and finish his dinner. Catherine shuffled her grandson back up to the flat to settle him down so that everyone could sit for dinner. Camille leaned against the door watching as her mother spoke softly to her grandson, tucking him in.

Catherine looked up at her. "It's quite a gathering. Have you had a chance to talk to Humphrey. Camille shook her head. "You should, you know? He missed you when you went, he let you go even though I know he wanted you to stay."

"Maman – he found happiness of his own, with Florence. I would have been a rebound for Sally. And besides…"

"Besides – you had never really got over Richard. I know, chère. I am not judging. I see you're happy and I know there's been a lot of ups and downs. Let's talk later, ok?"

Catherine kissed the top of Luc's head and hugged her daughter as they joined the party below.


	2. Deep Cover

The food and drink had been flowing, the conversation too, as Camille helped round up the plates to take to the kitchen. With Richard in deep conversation with the chief, Humphrey pondered for a moment before taking an opportunity to grab some time with her.

"So… umm…that's some deep cover" he started hesitantly, he eyes straying to the bump. She shrugged as she sorted through the dishes.

"Ww knew we were being rotated out for a year on full pay at some stage, and …"

She tried to find the words to explain that emboldened on a 'date night' she confessed that once they had been stood down, she wanted to settle down, with _him_… to spend her life with the one man who had turned her head.

Humphrey was about to speak when the sound of a child's whine rose from the room above the bar. She motioned to Richard who was looking up at that moment, just as Humphrey was bumbling his way into a conversation. He excused himself and ambled over, reducing Humphrey to even more embarrassed bumbling as he gave Camille a gentle embrace before heading up to the flat to soothe their son.

She smiled at Humphrey. "We came to realise a family was something we both wanted, and he is a gift especially after all we went through. Although don't be surprised if you become his new best friend though, especially if you indulge his fascination in boats."

"Why boats?"

"Our cover was that of a former naval officer and his wife. Richard's father served in Naval Intelligence and it was an environment that Richard felt comfortable in. We were around a lot of boats while Luca was a baby and he just took to them like a water on a duck," said Camille.

"Like a duck to water," Humphrey corrected before apologising. "So was the force ok with you going the whole hog and having a family? Oh sorry, is that personal…or, or, or… classified or something?" he stumbled.

"No – not classified," she smiled. "They were probably not all that surprised. Richard worked hard at his under-cover identity. I think it gave him a lot of confidence. It probably helped not being a complete fish out of water. We had a chemistry that worked when it came to solving puzzles," she added, allowing herself a brief smile at the memory of that phrase and the night they had spent stuck in the university lab, waiting for the hurricane to blow itself out.

They stacked dishes in silence for a while – Camille thinking about her former life, well lives if she included her life with the "old" Richard and their under-cover lives, while Humphrey battled with weighing up his own feelings. He glanced out over at Florence, who looked radiant as she laughed and joked with everyone out in the bar. He had suffered a double blow – a failure in his marriage with Sally and not man enough to be who Camille wanted, but Florence had built his courage and self-esteem up again.

And now he was being nice old Humphrey again and standing aside while she pursued a better job in Guadeloupe. What was he doing wrong to have all these women cross oceans to be apart from him.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps as Richard appeared with the grizzly, sleepy child curled up against his shoulder. Humphrey felt a pang – would that ever be him soothing an adoring child?

He watched as Camille reached up to stroke the boy's head, and they decided to make their way back to the hotel. Despite all the extra attention Luc started to grizzle all the more.

"Maman, come tomorrow – we can spend the day with at the hotel and try and sort out our plans from there," said Camille as she packed a plethora of kids' stuff while Richard helped the cab driver with the booster seat they had wisely brought with them, anticipating a late night.

Catherine watched as her beloved little girl handled all the challenges of motherhood with far more grace than she had she was sure, having had to deal with Marlon's philandering. Even though she might have had misgivings about Richard as her daughter's suitor, this man seemed so different from the pedantic Englishman she once knew. She was looking forward to learning more about what had happened.


End file.
